REJOICE! I SAY AGAIN REJOICE! (CC)
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[WE HEAR ST. PAUL'S] LETTER TO
THE PHILIPPIANS WHERE WE READ
FROM CHAPTER 4, BEGINNING WITH
VERSE 4: [8/03/14 SERMON TEXT]
REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS. I
WILL SAY IT AGAIN:
REJOICE! LET YOUR GENTLENESS
BE EVIDENT TO ALL.
THE LORD IS NEAR.
DO NOT BE ANXIOUS ABOUT
ANYTHING, BUT IN EVERY
SITUATION, BY PRAYER AND
PETITION,
WITH THANKSGIVING, PRESENT
YOUR REQUESTS TO GOD.
AND THE PEACE OF GOD, WHICH
TRANSCENDS ALL
UNDERSTANDING, WILL GUARD YOUR
HEARTS AND YOUR MINDS
IN CHRIST JESUS. FINALLY,
BROTHERS
AND SISTERS, WHATEVER IS TRUE,
WHATEVER IS NOBLE, WHATEVER IS
RIGHT, WHATEVER IS PURE,
WHATEVER
IS LOVELY, WHATEVER IS
ADMIRABLE --
IF ANYTHING IS EXCELLENT OR
PRAISEWORTHY --
THINK ABOUT SUCH THINGS.
WHATEVER YOU HAVE LEARNED
OR RECEIVED OR HEARD FROM ME,
OR SEEN IN ME --
PUT IT INTO PRACTICE. AND THE
GOD OF PEACE
WILL BE WITH YOU. I REJOICED
GREATLY
IN THE LORD THAT AT LAST YOU
RENEWED YOUR CONCERN FOR ME.
INDEED, YOU WERE CONCERNED,
BUT YOU HAD NO
OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW IT. I AM
NOT SAYING THIS BECAUSE
I AM IN NEED, FOR I HAVE
LEARNED TO BE CONTENT
WHATEVER THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
I KNOW WHAT IT IS TO BE IN
NEED, AND I KNOW WHAT IT IS
TO HAVE PLENTY. I HAVE LEARNED
THE SECRET OF
BEING CONTENT IN ANY AND EVERY
SITUATION,
WHETHER WELL FED OR HUNGRY,
WHETHER LIVING IN PLENTY OR IN
WANT. I CAN DO ALL THIS
THROUGH
HIM WHO GIVES ME STRENGTH.
THIS IS THE WORD OF OUR LORD.
LET US PRAY:
GLORIOUS AND GRACIOUS GOD, MAY
THE WORDS OF MY MOUTH AND THE
MEDITATION OF EACH OF OUR
HEARTS BE ACCEPTABLE IN YOUR
SIGHT, OUR ONLY SOURCE OF HOPE
AND COMFORT. AMEN.
[TEXT TAKEN FROM
THE HOLY BIBLE,
NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION
1973, 1978, 1984, 2011
BY BIBLICA, INC.]
DEAR FOLLOWERS OF OUR LORD
AND SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST:
THESE WORDS BEFORE US FROM
PAUL THIS MORNING,
SIMPLY ARE WORDS THAT
ENCOURAGE US.
WORDS THAT ARE MEANT TO
INSPIRE US;
TO LEAD US ON TO LIVING A LIFE
OF FAITH.
ESPECIALLY WHEN WE CONSIDER
WHERE PAUL PENNED THESE WORDS
FROM ...
WE REMEMBER THAT HE WAS UNDER
HOUSE ARREST, HAVING BEEN
ARRESTED
WAITING HIS TRIAL, WAITING TO
SEE WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN
TO HIM.
WOULD HE BE EXECUTED? WOULD HE
BE LET FREE? WOULD HE BE
ALLOWED TO CONTINUE
SPREADING THE GOSPEL AS GOD
HAD CALLED HIM TO DO?
WOULD HE BE FREED TO MOVE
ABOUT
THE COUNTRY AND THE WORLD TO
SHARE THAT IMPORTANT
MESSAGE OF CHRIST? AND AS HE
SITS IN THIS HOUSE
ARREST, HE TELLS THE PEOPLE IN
THE CHURCH
IN PHILIPPI, TO REJOICE!
TO REJOICE
IN EVERY CIRCUMSTANCE
THAT THEY FIND THEMSELVES IN.
IT COMES BACK TIME AND TIME
AGAIN
TO THE WORD PEACE. THE GOD OF
PEACE. THE GOD
OF PEACE IS GOING TO BE WITH
YOU. THE GOD OF PEACE,
THAT PEACE THAT SURPASSES ALL
OF OUR
UNDERSTANDING IS GOING TO
COMFORT YOU.
HE REMINDS THEM OF THE
WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITIES
THAT THEY CONTINUALLY HAVE
TO REJOICE
BY DOING THE THINGS THAT GOD
HAS ALLOWED THEM
TO DO. AND AT THE END OF THIS
READING, HE REMINDS THEM
WHAT MAKES THAT ALL POSSIBLE.
IT IS THROUGH GOD THAT WE CAN
ACCOMPLISH ALL OF THESE
THINGS.
IT IS THROUGH GOD, THAT WE,
CAN REJOICE. THAT WE CAN
REJOICE
IN OUR LIFE NO MATTER WHERE WE
FIND OURSELVES.
NO MATTER THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
WHETHER WE HAVE PLENTY OR
WHETHER WE'RE IN WANT. WHETHER
WE'RE WELL FED OR
WHETHER WE'RE HUNGRY. WHETHER
WE'RE IMPRISONED OR WHETHER
WE'RE FREE. WHEREVER WE FIND
OURSELVES IN OUR LIFE,
YOU AND I CAN REJOICE!
WE CAN REJOICE IN THE FACT
THAT IT'S THE GOD OF PEACE HAS
GIVEN US
THE PEACE THAT GOES BEYOND OUR
UNDERSTANDING.
THAT PEACE THAT WE DO NOT
FULLY GRASP
ON THIS SIDE OF THE DOOR OF
DEATH.
BUT THAT PEACE THAT WE LONG TO
BE FULFILLED.
TO BE INVITED TO THAT WEDDING
BANQUET IN HEAVEN.
THAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR US,
INVITED US TO, AND PREPARED US
IN THE WEDDING CLOTHES. WHERE
HE HAS TAKEN OUR
SIN-STAINED GARMENTS AND
WASHED THEM IN THE BLOOD OF
CHRIST. AND MADE THEM
PURE AND WHITE. THAT CHRIST
HAS ARRAYED US
AS A BRIDE, BEAUTIFULLY
PREPARED
TO MEET HER HUSBAND.
THAT IS WHO AND WHAT WE ARE.
AND FOR THAT REASON WE
REJOICE!
WE ARE AT PEACE. WE ARE AT
PEACE
WITH GOD. WE HAVE BEEN SAVED.
SALVATION
IS OURS. AND WE REJOICE
IN THAT FACT.
BUT MAYBE WE DON'T UNDERSTAND
WHAT THAT SALVATION MEANS.
THERE'S BIG TALK TODAY
THAT THE CHURCH ISN'T
RELEVANT.
THAT THE CHURCH DOESN'T SPEAK
TO THAT YOUNGER
GENERATION. THEY SEE IT AS
SOMETHING THAT IS
FILLED WITH TRADITION, HAS NO
IMPORTANCE IN THEIR LIFE,
AND IT ISN'T RELEVANT FOR
THEM.
IS IT RELEVANT FOR YOU?
DO YOU AS A CHILD OF GOD
REALIZE WHAT CHRIST HAS DONE
FOR YOU? BECAUSE
OUTSIDE OF GOD THERE IS
NO PEACE.
OUTSIDE OF GOD, WE HAVE
NO PEACE OF MIND. OUR SINFUL
NATURE
IS CONSTANTLY BOMBARDING US TO
DO EVIL.
IT WANTS US TO LIVE IN GUILT.
IT WANTS US TO LIVE TO SATISFY
OURSELVES.
IT WANTS US TO PUT US FIRST;
WE ARE OF MOST IMPORTANCE
AND WE DON'T CARE ABOUT ANYONE
ELSE. WE DON'T CARE
WHO WE TRAMPLE ON TO GET AHEAD
IN LIFE; WE DON'T CARE
WHO WE HURT IN RELATIONSHIPS,
JUST SO LONG
AS I GET WHAT I NEED.
WE'RE AT WAR! WE'RE AT WAR
WITH GOD
OUTSIDE OF FAITH. WE DON'T
WANT HIM IN OUR LIFE. WE DON'T
UNDERSTAND HIM. WE DON'T KNOW
HIM AND WE DON'T KNOW
WHAT HE HAS DONE AND THAT HE
IS A
LOVING GOD. IT IS ONLY THROUGH
FAITH THAT WE HAVE
BEEN GIVEN PEACE. A PEACE THAT
COMFORTS US BECAUSE WE KNOW
THAT CHRIST
HAS ACCOMPLISHED EVERYTHING
FOR US.
HE HAS WON OUR SALVATION.
AND HE HAS PRESENTED IT TO US
AS A BEAUTIFUL INVITATION.
AN INVITATION TO ALL OF THE
BLESSINGS OF HEAVEN.
ALL OF THE GLORY THAT GOD HAS
PREPARED
AND HE INVITES US TO COME TO
HIM, TO TRUST IN HIM.
AND TO BELIEVE IN HIM.
AND WHEN WE DO THAT,
WE ARE AT PEACE.
AT PEACE KNOWING THAT ALL OF
OUR SINS,
EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM,
HAS BEEN FORGIVEN.
WE LIVE AS THE CHILDREN OF
GOD,
HOLY AND SANCTIFIED BECAUSE
OF
CHRIST'S RIGHTEOUSNESS.
WE LIVE AT PEACE WITH OUR MIND
BECAUSE OUR MIND IS COMFORTED
WITH THE PASSAGES
THAT TIME AND TIME AGAIN
REMIND US IT IS GOD
WHO HAS SAVED US. IT IS GOD
WHO IS
THE ONE WHO HAS LOVED US AND
FORGIVEN US OUR SINS.
AND WE ARE AT PEACE IN OUR
LIVES.
IS THAT RELEVANT?
OF COURSE IT'S RELEVANT! BUT
SO OFTEN
YOU AND I ACT LIKE SOMEHOW WE
ARE STILL PRISONERS.
PRISONERS IN THIS LIFE.
PRISONERS TO SIN THAT WE
SOMEHOW CAN'T EVER
BREAK IT ... BUT I'M GONNA
TRY. NEXT WEEK I'M GONNA TRY
TO STOP DOING THIS.
INSTEAD OF LIVING IN GOD'S
GRACE AND DOING WHAT HE WANTS.
WE SOMETIMES ACT AS IF WE'RE
PRISONERS IN OUR OWN MARRIAGES
IN OUR OWN RELATIONSHIPS. AND
ALL WE DO
IS COMPLAIN ABOUT OUR SPOUSE.
AND THEN WONDER WHY OUR HOMES
AREN'T HAPPY.
AND THERE ISN'T ANY TRUST
THERE.
WE SOMETIMES LIVE LIKE WE'RE
ENDANGERED SERVANTS ...
PRISONERS ... AT THE JOB THAT
WE HOLD. OUR BOSS IS
THE WORST TASKMASTER ON THE
FACE OF THE EARTH.
HOW HORRIBLE IT IS TO BE ABLE
TO GO THERE AND GET A
PAYCHECK! AND WE COMPLAIN AND
COMPLAIN
AND COMPLAIN.
HOW EASY IT IS FOR US, AS
PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THIS WORLD,
TO FORGET THE PEACE THAT IS
OURS.
AND TO FORGET TO REJOICE ...
IN THE BLESSINGS THAT GOD HAS
GIVEN TO US ...
POURED OUT ON US.
AND THE APOSTLE PAUL SAYS:
THINK ABOUT
THOSE THINGS. THINK ABOUT
THOSE THINGS THAT ARE RIGHT
AND NOBLE AND GOOD AND
PRAISEWORTHY. AND THEY'RE
GONNA FILL YOUR LIFE. IF YOU
THINK ABOUT THE NEGATIVE AND
YOU THNK ABOUT THE HURT AND
YOU THINK ABOUT ALL OF THOSE
THINGS THAT YOU'RE NOT GETTING
THEY WILL CONSUME YOU AND THEY
WILL ROB YOU OF THE JOY
OF YOUR FAITH. AND THE JOY OF
GOD.
AND YOUR REJOICING WILL BECOME
BITTER AND WHINY.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO US TO KNOW
HOW GOD
HAS BLESSED US. AND TO REVIEW
THOSE BLESSINGS TIME AND TIME
AGAIN. AND HE GIVES US
OPPORTUNITY TIME AND TIME
AGAIN TO SHOW OUR FAITH.
TO SHOW OUR REJOICING.
PAUL SAYS BE CONTENT IN EVERY
CIRCUMSTANCE.
DON'T BE ANXIOUS ABOUT
ANYTHING.
DO NOT BE ANXIOUS ABOUT
ANYTHING!
DON'T WORRY ABOUT
A THING! DON'T LET FEAR
CONSUME YOU ABOUT
TOMORROW. OR TEN YEARS DOWN
THE ROAD, OR 20 YEARS DOWN THE
ROAD. OR WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN
TODAY? OR HOW ARE MY CHILDREN
GONNA TURN OUT? OR ARE MY
GRANDCHILDREN GONNA BE ABLE TO
GO TO COLLEGE? DON'T BE
ANXIOUS ABOUT
ANYTHING! INSTEAD ...
PRESENT YOUR REQUESTS TO GOD
WITH THANKSGIVING!
THAT'S IMPORTANT ... THAT WE
GO
TO GOD ACKNOWLEDGING THAT HE
IS THE ONE WHO BLESSES US.
AND TO COME TO HIM WITH
THANKSGIVING!
NOT AS CHILDREN WHO ARE
LOOKING AND DEMANDING
A HANDOUT. IF YOU LOVE ME,
YOU'RE GOING TO DO THIS.
GOD, I'M SO TIRED ABOUT
PRAYING THIS TO YOU
BECAUSE YOU DON'T HEAR ME. AND
IF YOU DO HEAR ME, YOU'RE NOT
ANSWERING ME THE WAY I WANT
TO. THAT'S NOT PRAYING
WITH THANKSGIVING. IT'S NOT
RECOGNIZING
WHO GOD IS ... AND WHAT HE HAS
DONE.
NOT SHOWING OUR FAITH AND OUR
TRUST IN HIM.
TO KNOW THAT WE CAN BE
CONTENT; THAT WE CAN PLACE
OUR LIFE IN HIS HANDS
AND HE WILL TAKE CARE OF US.
THAT HE WILL BLESS US, WITH
WHAT WE NEED.
WHETHER WE'RE IN WANT, OR
WHETHER WE HAVE PLENTY.
WHETHER WE'RE HUNGRY, OR
WHETHER WE'RE WELL FED. GOD
DOES NOT
LEAVE US OR FORSAKE US.
AND WHAT A REASON THAT WE HAVE
TO REJOICE!
WHAT A REASON THAT WE HAVE TO
SHARE THAT
JOY WITH OTHER PEOPLE. TO
REMIND OUR SPOUSES
HOW BLESSED WE ARE THAT GOD
HAS PLACED THEM
IN OUR LIVES.
TO TEACH OUR CHILDREN THE LOVE
THAT GOD HAS GIVEN.
THE LOVE THAT WE SHARE WITH
THEM.
THE CONCERN THAT WE HAVE FOR
THEM.
THE IMPORTANCE ALSO OF
INSTRUCTING THEM
AND TEACHING THEM ABOUT GOD.
BECAUSE NOT EVERYTHING
IN LIFE IS MILK AND COOKIES
AND RECESS.
AND
WE NEED TO KNOW THAT.
WE NEED TO PREPARE OUR
CHILDREN FOR THAT.
WE NEED TO PREPARE OURSELVES
FOR THAT. BUT TO REMIND US
THAT WE DON'T GO THROUGH ANY
OF THOSE THINGS ALONE.
WE GO THROUGH THAT WITH A GOD
WHO HAS GIVEN US HIS POWER
AND HIS STRENGTH; HIS HOLY
SPIRIT
WHO LIVES IN US AND WORKS IN
US AND ACCOMPLISHES
THE WILL OF GOD. TO DO THOSE
BLESSINGS.
TO SHOW THE WORLD OUR FAITH.
TO SHOW THE WORLD HOW RELEVANT
IT IS
THAT GOD IS IN OUR LIFE. TO DO
THAT
BY REJOICING! PROCLAIMING
WHO HE IS AND WHAT HE'S DONE.
INVITING OTHERS TO THAT GREAT
BANQUET THAT GOD HAS PREPARED.
TO TEACH THEM AND SHARE WITH
THEM THE LOVE OF GOD THAT
WAS TAUGHT TO US AND SHARED
WITH US.
IT IS A HIGH CALLING.
FOR WE HAVE A GOD WHO HAS
ACCOMPLISHED
THIS STANDING AT OUR SIDE.
THE GOD
WHO HAS SAVED US. THE GOD IN
WHOM
WE PUT OUR TRUST. AND
THEREFORE,
WE REJOICE! AMEN.
LET US RISE.
NOW MAY THE PEACE OF GOD WHICH
GOES BEYOND
ALL OF OUR UNDERSTANDING KEEP
YOUR HEARTS AND YOUR MINDS
AND ESPECIALLY YOUR LIVES IN
THE ONE TRUE FAITH UNTO LIFE
EVERLASTING. AMEN.